2021 M&CA Agreement

HOPE 2021 Meet & Confer Agreement

Attention City Employees, you now have a 2021 Meet and Confer Agreement! This page outlines how we got here, what's in the Agreement, and how to access it (Including the HOPE Hard Copy Online Request Form).

How Did We Get Here?

Over the last 15 years, HOPE Members have worked together to win improvements in Compensation, Benefits, Policies, and Procedures.

This year, HOPE members followed the Constitution and By-laws by duly electing a Negotiating Team that was representative of the workforce. This led to 23 HOPE members taking the available seats to sit across at the table with City Management to Negotiate.

-- Click HERE for full 2021 M&CA Negotiations Process --

The Negotiating Team sponsored a Survey for City Employees to highlight exactly what the Bargaining focus should be. Many other active HOPE members supported them by connecting their worksites to this process. Well over a thousand City Employees took part in actions including small group meetings, sticker actions, testimonials, and support petitions designed to make sure your Negotiating Team's proposals were a priority in the City.

-- Click HERE for your HOPE Facebook Page w/ Pics and Videos of the Process --

What's In YOUR Agreement?

The 2021 Meet and Confer Agreement has improvements to Compensation, Union Representation, Health and Safety, and more:

Compensation:

• Across-the-Board Increases of 3% over the next 3 years (3% in October of FY 2022, another 3% in July of FY 2023, and a final 3% in FY 2024) and an increase to $14.25 to the City's minimum starting wage.
• The average City of Houston Employee currently earns $56,298 per year. Over the term of this 3-year tentative agreement, this average rate of pay will increase 9.0% and their average annual salary will increase to $61,070.
• Raises the base minimum starting wage from $12.00 to $14.25 an hour, affecting both our City Employees in the lower pay grades as well as the Houston area labor market.
• Maintains the improvements made in previous HOPE Agreements including Shift Differential, Longevity Pay, Overtime, Compensatory Time, Holiday Pay, Bi-Lingual Pay, and Call-Back Pay.

Union Representation:

• Weingarten-based language for a Union Presence at investigatory meetings which enables Union members to request either a HOPE DUR (Department Union Representative) or Staff Representative if they're called to a meeting they believe may lead to formal positive corrective action.
• Kept Grievable Issues and Grievance Committee Intact for potential disputes with Corrective Actions, the Promotions Process, or even our HEAR scores along with the freedom of the Committee to render a fair ruling.

Additional Improvements:

• New Health and Safety language to make sure every City Employee can return home to their families at the end of each workday safe and unharmed through cooperation with City Leaders.
• Re-Introduction of Paid Time Off Task Force made of equal numbers of HOPE members and City representatives to explore how the system could work and make a recommendation by December 31, 2021.

How can HOPE Members GET ACCESS TO theIR Agreement?

The improvements to Compensation, Representation, Health and Safety, and other Policies and Procedures contained in the Agreement were duly ratified by a majority of HOPE Members in Good Standing and subsequently unanimously approved by Houston City Council.

We all know that your Agreement isn't at all relevant to the vast majority City Employees unless it is readily available for everyone. Your 2021 HOPE Meet & Confer Agreement is linked throughout your HOPE website, but many City Employees would prefer a hard copy. As of today, the Online Form is available to order your copy.

NOTE: While this is a FREE Benefit for HOPE Members in Good Standing there is a $5.00 cost to all City Employees who have not yet joined HOPE.

-- Click HERE to Order YOUR 2021 Meet & Confer Agreement Online --

HOPE Leaders are excited to get out to more worksites to talk with even more City Employees about the 2021 Meet & Confer Agreement and encourage member particiapation in the process. Feel free to reach out to your nearest HOPE leader or to HOPE directly via email at [email protected] with any concerns or to schedule a worksite visit. 

What can City Employees Do to Strengthen this Process?

It's no secret, many HOPE Members did a lot to win the 2021 HOPE Meet & Confer Agreement. All of their activity has directly led to what we have today.

This has been an example to all of our fellow City Employees as to what it takes to secure better wages, benefits, and policies and procedures.

-- Click HERE for how City Employees can TAKE ACTION including Joining HOPE today--